Padlock



Nov. l, 1932- J. w. FlTz GERALD 1,885,425

PADLocK v Filed June 18, 19151 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. l, Y1932- J. w. FlTz GERALD PADLOG K Filed June 18, 1931 -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. l, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE JOHN W. FIIZ GERALD, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, T BRIGGS 6c STRATTCLN Y' CORPORATION, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE rAnLoeK Application filed June 18,

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in padlocks and has as an object to provide novel permutation means for opening the same.

In general, the structure-of the padlock of this invention is similar to that disclosed in m co-pending application, Serial No. 326,913, filed December 19, 1928, but in place of the lock cylinder for controlling the opening of the lock, permutation means are provided.

A more specific object of this invention resides in the provision ot novel permutation means for normally restraining axial motion of a shackle releasing member and which means is adapted to be placed in its unlocking position by rotation of said shackle releasing member.

Another object of this invention resides. in the provision of a novel manner of assembling the permutation means with the shackle releasing member whereby the entire assembly is insertable into the body as a unit.

And a further object of this invention is to.

provide a padlock of the` character described,

which consists of a minimum number of parts and is ofv a simple design to permit economical manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly dened by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one complete eXample'of the physical embodiment of my invention constructedk according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view taken through a padlock embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken through Figure 1 on the plane of the line 2-2g Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view 193i. serial Nf.-.r545,2oe.

taken throughFigure 1 on the plane of the.

line 3-3;

Figure is. a detail sectional view taken through Figure 1 on the plane of the line a Y Y l Figure 5 1s a perspective view of the member providing the stationary abutments with which the tumblers of the permutation means ing position from which the steps of rotation during unlocking are calculated.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the numeral represents the body of my improved padlock. The body is preferably die cast and is substantially oval shape in cross section, and a pair of bores 11 and 12 are extended inwardly from its open end 13, which will be hereinafter referred to. as the top of the padlock.

The bores 11 and 12 receive the legs 14 and 15 respectively of a U shaped shackle 16. The shackle leg 15 is longer than the leg 14 and has a bore 17 extending upwardly therein to receive a spring 18 which is confined between the bottoms of the bores 17 and 12 to normally yieldably urge the shackle outwardly of the body. An enlargement 19 at the extreme inner end of the shackle leg 15 provides a shoulder 20 which engages the underside of a cover 21 secured over the top of the padlock body and provided with suitable openings 22 and 23 through which the legs of the shackle pass, to limit the. outward movement of the shackle by the spring 18 and hereby retainthe same assembled with the ody.

The short shackle leg 14 has its inner end pointed as at 24 and has a pair of recesses 25 formed in its opposite sides. The recesses 25 are adapted to receive thev outer Yends of a substantially hair-pin shaped spring shackle retainer 26 disposed in the upper portion of the body directly beneath the cover 21, the pointed end 24 of the shackle leg 14 facilitating its engagement between the ends of the retainer 26 as will be readily apparent.

The normal resiliency of the spring retainer 26 maintains its ends engaged in the recesses and holds the shackle in its closed position, and to open the lock it is therefore necessary to spread the legs of the retainer member and disengage the ends thereof from the recesses 25. To this end, a releasing member indicated generally by the numeral 27 is provided.

The releasing member 27 comprises a stem 28 provided with a conical shaped tip 29, and extends upwardly from the bottom of the padlock into a central bore or well 30 the top of which is closed by the cover 21. The size of the conical tip 29 is such that upon upward movement of the releasing member the legs of the retaining member 26 are forced apart sufliciently to disengage their ends from the recesses 25.

The releasing member is normally maintained in an inoperat-ive position by an expansive spring 31 coiled about the stem 28 with its upper end engaged over a substantially cup shaped member 32 provided with an annular outwardly directed flange 32 against which the spring end rests. The top of the cup shaped member abuts against the lower edges of the shackle retainer 26 and is thereby held against upward movement.

It is observed that the conical tip 29 is received within the cup 32 with its shank portion 29 by which it is attached to the stem 28 projected through an opening in the bottom of the cup, and that the flange of the cup is substantially the same diameter as the bore or well 30 so that it serves to guide the releasing member and to maintain it in axial alignment with the bore The lower end of the spring 31 rests upon the uppermost of a plurality of stacked washer-like members part of which form the tumblers of permutation lock means indicated generally by the numeral 33. The elements of the permutation lock means consist of a click plate 34 which rests directly on the bot tom of the well, a main driver 35 in j uxtaposi` tion with the click plate and rigidly secured to the stem 28 of the releasing member, a pair of spacers 36 and a pair et locking plates 37 arranged alternately and above the driver 35.

The spacers and locking plates are centrally bored, and the spacers 36 and the click plate 34 are held against rotation by tongues 38 extended outwardly therefrom and received in a longitudinal groove 39 at one side of the bore or well 30.

At the side of the bore or well 30 opposite the groove 39 is a second groove 40 in which a stop member 41 is received. The member 41 is stamped from bendable metal and is of a width substantially equal to the width of the groove 40 and of a length to extend from the bottom of the well 30 to substantially a medial point from which point outwardly the groove 40 is of increased depth. A plurality of spaced lugs 42 are struck from the lower portion of the member 41 to extend into the bore or well 30 and cooperate with the lo-cking plates and the main driver to normally prevent axial movement ot the releasing member 27.

However, the locking plates and the main driver are cut away at predetermined places in their circumference as at 43 and the spacers 36 have their side portions adjacent the lugs 42 similarly cut away as at 44 so that when the locking `plates and the main driver. are rotated to align their cut away portions 43 with the cut away portions 44 of the spacers, the releasing member 27 is free to be moved longitudinally to force its conical tip 29 between t-.he retaining member legs and eliect release ot the shackle. Rotation of the releasing member stem and also its inward movement to release the shackle, is facilitated by a knob 45 which is rigidly secured to the stem 28 by a set screw 45.

As stated the main driver 35 is rigidly and non-rotatably secured to the stem of the releasing` member and is directly rotatable therewith, and to impart rotation from the main driver to the locking plates 37, a tongue s 46 is directed upwardly from the driver to extend through the bore of the adjacent spacer and into the bore of the first locking plate to be engageable with a lug 47 direct/ed inwardly into its bore. The lug 47 is also directed laterally and projected through the bore in the next spacer and into the bore of the next locking plate for driving engagement with a lug 48 formed thereon. rl`he driving lugs 46 and 47 and the lug 48 are so disposed with respect to the location of the cut away portions 43 of their respective locking plates, that certain definite degrees of rotation are required to align all oi the flatted sides 43 with the iiattcd sides 44 and permit the releasing member to be axially moved.

To enable the positions of the locking plates and a main driverto be ascertained, the driver has a pair of diametrically opposite tits 49 projected from its underface to be successively engageable in the opposite ones of a plurality of circumferentially arranged openings 50 formed in the click plate.

Opening of the lock is effected by turning the knob 45 in opposite directions for a predetermined number oil degrees or clicks from a starting position which is determined by a small rivet head or pin 51 secured to the lower pcrtion of the body at one sid-e 'and with which the set screw 45 securing the knob on the stem 28 aligns, in its start-ing position.

It is observed that the extreme outer end of the stem on which the knob is secured is 1i'jments of the locking means 'are shown in octagonal andthe-t the rotation of the re-Y so that the knob may be properly placedon the stein, which bears a fixed relationship to lthe main driver, to accommodate any combination as determined by the relative positions of the flatted sides and driving lugs of the-locking plates.

In Figures 6, .7, and 8, the various eletheir respective positions during the of unlocking, and Figure 6 illustrates the elements in their respective positions at the completion of the lirstmotion which in the present instance is six clicksaor steps from the starting position in the direction ofthe arrow shown on the knob. At this stage, the innermost locking plate is in its unlocking position with its flatted side i3 aligned with the flat side 44 of the adjacent spacer.

To move the next locking plate to its unlocked position, the knob isturned in an opposite direction for nine clicks or steps vand during this movement, the main driver lug 46 first moves away from a locking plate lug 4.-.7 until it engages the opposite side ofthe lug 47. Continued rotation then carries the locking plate having the lug l? around to its position at which its flat side aligns with the fixed abutments 42. Motion of the driver by means of the knob in an opposite direction is then merely necessary to move the main driver flat side to its unlocked position and this position is illustrated in Figure 8. With the parts thus arranged, it is possible to push the releasing member 27 in- Awardly to edect release of the shackle 16 as will be readily apparent.

As hereinbefore noted the conical tip 29 is received within the cup 32, and as the spring 3l is confined between the cnp flange and the plurality of stacked disc elementsv which in turn rest upon the driver disc rigid on the stein, it follows that the entire structure may be assembled on the .stem 23 independently of the body, and after assembly may be inserted into the body well as a unit. During assembly of the structure on the stem it is obvious'that all of the disc elements, the spring and the cup 32, are mounted on the stem prior to the 'attachment of the conical tip on the stem end.

The cover 21 is secured in its position closing the open side of the body in the saine manner as shown in the hereinbefore nientioned co-pending applicatiomtliat is,tongues 52 extend from the downturned marginal edges of the cover, into recesses formed in the bod member and transversely exten ding 7 o pins 53 are projected through aligned openings in the body member andthe tongues 52.

The pins 53 also serve to Iattach a naine plate 54 so that the primary purpose of the pins is concealed by the presence of the name plate. It is further noted that the upper end of the stop member 41 is directed laterallyas at 55, into the deeper portion of the groove 40 and that the adjacent pin 53 passes directly over the laterally directed end 55 so that the stop member llis heldin its proper assembled relation with the body.

From the foregoing description Ytaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which an invention ofthe character described appertains, that I provide a strong padlock having simple and novel permutation means for opening the same.

llVhat I cla-im as my invention is:

l. In a padlock including a body and' a shackle, a retaining member carried by the body and having cooperating spring fingers arranged to grip opposite sides of one leg of the shackle to hold the shackle closed, means for releasing the shackle from said retaining member comprising a. member movable longitudinally into engagement with the spring fingers of the holding members to spread the same, and means for preventing longitudinal movement of said members, said last menitioned means being releasable to free the longitudinally movable member for longitudi-4 nal movement by predetermined rotation of said longitudinally movable member.

2. In a padlock including a body, a shackle connected with the body and means Jfor holding the shackle closed, means for releasing the shackle for opening comprising, a member longitudinally shiftable to releasing engagement with said holding means, cooperating movable and stationary stop means Jfor normally preventing longitudinal movement of said member, said movable stop means being disengageable from the stationary stop means upon movement to predetermined positions with respect to the stationary stop means, and means for moving the movable Stop means to said predetermined position by rotation of said longitudinally shiftable member.

3. In a padlock including a body, a shackle, and retaining means having spaced members arranged to grip one leg of the shackle on the opposite sides thereof to releasably secure the shackle in closed position, means for disengaging said last named means comprising a member adapted to be axially shifted to spread said members out of gripping engagement with the shackle, locking means surrounding said shittable member to releas- 1i. In a padlock having a body, a shackle, and means for releasably securing the shackle in closed position, means for releasing the shackle for opening, comprising a member rotatable within the body and longitudinally ill) shiftable into releasing engagement with the shackle securing means, an abutmentcarried by the body, a second abutment connected with said rotatable and longitudinally shiftablc member and normally engaged with the body carried abutment Vto prevent a longitudinal shifting of said member, and means operable upon rot-ation of said member for moving the second abutment out of operative engagement with the lirst mentioned abutment to free said member for longitudinal shifting into releasing engagement with the securing means.

5. In a padlock body, shackle and releasable means for securing the shackle. closed, means for releasing said securing means to release the shackle for opening comprising, a member longitudin. ble into operative engagement with the securing means, a series of spaced liXed abutments carried by the body, a plurality of dises movable axially with vsaid longitudinally shiftable member and normally said lined abutments to prevent such longitudinal shifting, and means operable upon rotation of said longitudinally shiftable member for disengaging the discs from the fixed abutments to release the longitudinally sbiftable member for longitudinal movement into engagement with the securing means.v

6. ln a padlock` a body, a shackle, means within the body for releasably securing the shackle in closed position, a n einber operable upon longitudinal movement to free the shackle from means, a stationary abutment carried by the body, a second abutment rotatable about the axis of said member and non-longitudinally-movably connected therewith, said second abutment normally engaging the stationary abutment to prevent longitudinal movementof said member and being disengaged from said fined abutment upon movement to a predetermined position of rotation, and means operable upon rotation of said longitudinally movable member to move said movable abutment to said predetermined position of rotation to free the member for longitudinal movement.

7. In a padlock, a body member having a well projected inwardly from one end thereof, a shackle, means carried by the body member at the mouth of the well for releasably securing the shackle in closed position, a cover member connected with the body and outwardly of said means to maintain the same assembled with. the body member, and close the mouth of the well, a longitudinally shiftable member within the well and operable upon longitudinal movement toward the securing means to release the shackle for opening movement, abutments carin-cd by body and projecting into the well V side thereof, a plurality of indepcnden rotatable elements assembled on the longitudinally movable member within the well, said Fla o ein.,

elements normally, engaging the fixed abut-V ments to prevent longitudinal movement of the member and being disengaged from said lined abutments upon movement to predetermined positions of rotation, means operable upon rotation of said longitudinally movable member to move said elements to said predetermined positions of rotation, and yieldable means confined between the plurality of independently rotatable elements and the shackle securing means for maintaining the elements in proper position and yieldably holding the longitudinally shiftable member in its inoperative position.

8. ln a padlock, a body having a well, a shackle, a locking member having a part eX- tending across the mouth of the well and engageable with the shackle to .secure the same closed, a member extending axially through the well and operable upon longitudinal movement thereof toward the locking member to disengage the same from the shackle, said member projecting through an opening in the bottom of the well to enable actuation thereof, means for normally preventing lon-- gitudinal movement of said member comprising stationary abutn ents projected into the vell from one side wall thereof, rotatable lements mounted on the member and enthe stationary abutments in all positions of rotation except one, means whereby rotation of said member moves said elements to said predetermined position to free the member for longitudinal movement, said means including an element lined to said longitudinally movable member and receiving support from the bottom of the well, and spring means eonned between the rotatable elements and the locking member at the mouth of the well for holding the rotatable elements in the bottom of the well and in proper relationship to the stationary abutments and for yieldably restraining longitudinal movement of said member.

9. ln a padlock, a body having a` well, a shackle, a locking member extending across the mouth of the well and adapted for engagement with the shackle to secure the same in closed position, means for releasing the shackle from said locking member comprisinfr a shaft extending axially through the well and projecting through an opening in the bottom thereof to permit the same to be turned and moved longitudinally from the e-Xt rior of the body, longitudinal movement of said shaft toward the locking member disengaging the locking member from the shackle, permutation means for preventing longitudinal movement of the shaft except' after the shaft has been turned to predetermined positions of rotation, said permutation means including a plurality lof rotatable tumblers mounted on the shaft, a member fixed to the shaft to afford a detent action to indicate the degrees of rotation of said shaft, said member receiving support from the bottom of the well and rotatable tumblers being assembled thereabove, a spring encircling the shaft and confined between the locking member at the mouth of the well and the assembled locking tumblers to provide a spring action for the detent means and yieldably restrain longitudinal movement of the shaft, and an abutment carried by the shaft and engaged with the spring to hold the same assembled with the shaft when the locking member is removed from its position across the mouth of the well, whereby the shaft and the elements assembled thereon are insertable into the well as a unit.

10. In a padlock, a body having a well extending inwardly from one end, a shackle, a locking member carried by the body with a part extending across the mouth of the well and adapted for engagement with the shackle to releasably secure the same closed, a shaft within the well operable upon longitudinal movement toward the locking member to disengage the same from the shackle, and permutation means for movably preventing longitudinal movement of the shaft and including a stationary stop member having a plurality of stop elements projecting into the well from one side thereof, a cover for the open mouth of the well outwardly of the locking member, and a pin extending through aligned openings in the cover and the body for securing the cover in position, said pin engaging the stop member to likewise secure the stop member assembled with the body.

11. In a padlock of the character described, a body, a shackle in said body, means to releasably hold said shackle in closed position, comprising cooperating spring lingers arranged to clamp one leg of the shackle therebetween, a stem mounted for axial and rotational movement in said body, means on the inner end of said stem to spread the spring fingers out of operative engagement with the shackle upon axial movement of said stem,

a locking means mounted within said body to releasably hold said stem against axial movement, and means carried by the stem for releasing the locking means upon turning of said stem in a predetermined sequence.

12. In a padlock of the character described, a body, a shackle in said body, means to releasably hold said shackle in closed position, comprising cooperating yieldable members arranged to grip one leg of the shackle, a stem projecting into said body and having axial and rotational movement therein, means on the inner end of said stem to spread the yieldable members and release the same from holding engagement with said shackle upon movement of said stem in an axial direction, locking means surroundsaid stem adapted to releasably hold said stem against axial movement, and means carried by said stem and operable upon rotation thereof to release said locking means and permit axial movement of the stem.

13. In a padlock of the character described, a body, a shackle on said body, means to grip one leg of said shackle on the opposite sides thereof to maintain said shackle in locked position, a shaft rotatably and axially movable within said body, means on the end of said shaft adapted to move said gripping means out of engagement with both sides of said shackle leg upon axial movement of the shaft, locking means on said shaft normally preventing axial movement of sai-d shaft, and means carried by said shaft and V operable upon a predetermined rotation of the shaft to release said locking means to permit axial movement of the shaft.

14. In a padlock of the character described, a body, a shackle mounted in said body, means to releasably hold said shackle in locked position, a stem mounted in said body for axial and rotational movement therein, a frustro-conical cam mounted on the inner end of said stem engageable upon axial movement of said shaft with said means to release the shackle, locking means surrounding said shaft and normally preventing axial movement thereof, and means carried by the shaft and engageable with said locking means to effect an unlocking action upon a predetermined rotation of said shaft.

15. In a padlock of the character described, a body, a shackle mounted in said body, a U-shaped clip mounted in said body and engageable with a portion of said shackle on the opposite sides of one of the legs thereof to effect the locking of the shackle in the body, a shaft mounted for axial and rotational movement in said body, a substantially frustro-conical cam on the inner end of said shaft and adapted upon axial movement of said shaft to engage between the members of the U-shaped clip to release the shackle, locking means mounted about said shaft and normally preventing axial movement thereof, and means mounted on said shaft and adapted upon rotation of said shaft in a predetermined sequence to release said locking means whereby said shaft may be moved axially to release said shackle.

Y. In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

JOI-IN W. FITZ GERALD. 

